The Food Sommelier Podcast

In this tasty episode, we’ll hear from John Smythe, MS, who is a Sensory Scientist; aka a Professional Taste Tester. His wealth of knowledge regarding food science would put Alton Brown to shame and he shares some of that knowledge with us today. We discuss the variety of exotic cuisine he’s tried from multiple countries around the world, his Master’s thesis about the perceptions of beer quality, his experience being a member of a descriptive panel for a winery, and the various ways he’s used his food science knowledge throughout his impressive career. Be sure that you stayed tuned until the end to hear favorite websites to buy wine and find new recipes. John Smythe, MS, Food Sensory Scientist John Smythe, MS, is the head of sensory at Tate & Lyle where, with this team of sensory professionals, he offers scientific insights to help advance innovations in ingredient understanding. Prior to joining Tate & Lyle, John spent nearly a decade initiating and globalizing a sensory program for Herbalife based on his prior work with ConAgra Foods and EJ Gallo. He has a MS in Food Sensory Science from the University of California and a BS is Chemistry from Harvey Mudd College.  John’s areas of expertise include: sensory science, food science, culinary science, statistics, experimental design, data mining, and project management. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE… 0:45 John explains how he became a Sensory Scientist; aka a Professional Taste Tester “I think, relative to most kids, I was probably pretty adventurous but when I wouldn’t eat the pig’s eyeball I guess I got labeled as a picky eater.” – John Smythe 3:43 John discusses the craziest things he’s eaten during his travels all over the world 4:21 John goes into detail regarding his experience eating a 1,000 year-old egg 7:23 John talks about doing his Master’s Thesis on the perceptions of beer quality 10:57 John explains how different cultures perceive beer foam 12:37 John educates about how to properly take care of your beer glasses t...

In this tasty episode, I speak with Maine resident Amanda Doughty from the Great Beer Adventure podcast which features local, and soon some not-so-local, breweries. With over 75 breweries in Maine alone, she’s got a lot to cover. While she does like to talk about beer, she’s really more interested in the stories behind the breweries, the brewers, and the beers. Amanda is also the mother of two young girls and uses her experience with overcoming multiple eating disorders to help ensure her daughters grow up having a healthy relationship with their body. Today she’s discussing all of this and much more! Amanda Doughty, Creator, Editor, Host, and Producer of the Great Beer Adventure Podcast Amanda Doughty is the creator, producer, editor and sound design specialist of the Great Beer Adventure Podcast!  Amanda is interested in learning about all aspects of the beer world and has been known to sit in the rain, in the middle of the night for a beer release. Her favorite beer style changes with the season.  In her previous career, Amanda was a high school teacher and she holds a Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of Southern Maine.  She is also a wife and mother to 2 young girls. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE… 1:47 Amanda gives a little background on her life and who is she 3:32 Annette and Amanda discuss their home brewing experiences 4:46 Amanda provides some insight to her podcast, The Great Beer Adventure “We have a two-stage plan for our podcast. The first was, take Maine by storm and the second part is to take over the world.” – Amanda Doughty 6:31 Amanda talks about one of her favorite beers that uses “freshly harvested sea water” “… their brewers are actually surfers, so, they will take some five-gallon buckets out on their surf boards with them and they catch the surf and put it in your beer.” – Amanda Doughty 9:37 Amanda discusses milk stouts and why she loves them so much 11:20 Amanda tells her romance story with beer

 In this tasty episode, I have a truly wonderful chat with Diane Daniels. She is the host of the popular Medicare Nation podcast and the founder of the Weight Loss Nation program. This new paradigm in weight loss programming contains a podcast, ten mentors, daily virtual meetings and motivational text message, recipes, cooking videos, a private Facebook group, and more. Today we discuss that program, which I am honored and thrilled to be a part of, and her Medicare Nation podcast as well. There might even be a little sports talk thrown in. Diane’s personality is friendly and contagious so I’m certain you’ll enjoy this talk as much as I did.  Diane Daniels, Medicare Advisor & Founder of Weight Loss Nation Diane Daniels is host of the Weight Loss Nation & Medicare Nation Podcasts.  She is a professional speaker and key person of influence, who has spoken at country clubs, retirement resort communities, professional associations, and networking group events. Ms. Daniels appears on many radio and Pod Cast programs The Senior Voice Radio show (Tampa), The Bev Smith Radio Show (Washington D.C.) and The Financial Survival Network with Kerry Lutz, to name a few. Ms. Daniels collaborates with politicians and national associations to advocate for her clients. When not podcasting, Diane enjoys walking along Florida’s beautiful beaches and traveling. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE… 1:44 Diane talks about why she started Weight Loss Nation “If it’s out there, I’ve done it. It just doesn’t work for life-long because once you’re at a certain weight and you’re comfortable, if you don’t really hit the root of what’s going on, why it’s happening, it’s just a vicious cycle that’s going to continue over and over.” – Diane Daniels 4:02 Annette and Diane talk about why having a strong support network is critical when trying to lose weight 7:48 Diane explains all the components of the Weight Loss Nation program “So, I’m try to get everybody not so focused on those stereotypes and to jus...

In this tasty episode, I chat with Julie Duffy Dillon who is an award winning registered dietitian and food behavior expert with over 15 years of experience. Her recently launched Love, Food podcast is a hit and features a unique format where listeners email letters to food asking for advice and support with their food dilemmas. Julie considers herself to be an anti-diet zealot and focuses on helping those suffering from eating disorders. We also talk about her method of getting beach-body ready in a matter of minutes, why she considers eating and peeing to be the same thing, and the famous person she would most like to have dinner with. Julie Duffy Dillon, MS, RD, NCC, LDN, CEDRD Julie Duffy Dillon wants to help you enjoy eating again. A native of the midwest, she has been helping people heal their relationship with food since 1999 through her North Carolina-based private practice Julie Dillon Consulting. In 2013, she expanded Greensboro’s eating disorder treatment options by starting the group practice BirdHouse Nutrition Therapy. While leading its dietitians, she also empowers and trains health professionals to understand the eating relationship and recovering from eating disorders. Julie combines her nutrition expertise with a masters degree in Counseling. Using her own specialized method of nutrition counseling, Julie Dillon considers the special needs, unique lifestyles and specific health concerns of her clients. She then customizes a comprehensive program that best addresses their eating difficulties. Julie’s clients enjoy a positive, nurturing and goal-focused environment where they find invaluable resources to regain peace with food. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE… 1:44 Julie explains the unique format of her Love, Food podcast

In this tasty episode, we hear from Marie Bieber who is a self-proclaimed nutrition genius, and “all around dweeb.” Her nutritional philosophy centers around real foods that taste good and she believes butter, salt, and garlic can bring about world peace. Marie also uses her education in Psychology to help those with eating disorders by working with the Non-Profit, The Healing Connection. She is also the co-host of the Nutrition Genius Radio podcast with previous guest from episode 025, Laura Ligos. Today we talk about all these topics and much more!  Marie Bieber, BA, RD Marie Bieber, aka “Pearl,” is a real food Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, blogger, podcast host, self-proclaimed Nutrition Genius, travel enthusiast and all around dweeb. She holds a BA in Psychology from State University of New York College at Cortland and a Post-Baccalaureate Degree in Nutrition from The Sage Colleges. She completed her dietetic practice hours with West Virginia University Healthcare and has worked as a Nutrition Assistant at Albany Medical Center. Marie has a strong focus in Medical Nutrition Therapy and takes a holistic approach to nutrition incorporating physical activity and stress management.  She currently works at The Healing Connection, a Rochester, NY nonprofit which provides hope and treatment to adolescents and adults seeking recovery from an eating disorder. Marie is fascinated by the enterohepatic circulation of bile and loves avocados so much she named her dog after them.  She loves the five second rule (because microbes make the world go ’round) and thinks ...

In this tasty episode, we talk with Marc David; who is the founder and primary teacher of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. Not only does he have experience with clinical nutrition, eating psychology, and coaching but he is also a bestselling author. His book, The Slow Down Diet, just celebrated its 10th Anniversary. We discuss a wide variety of topics including “the perfect diet,” his thoughts on people who claim overeating is a will power issue, the science behind his philosophy and teachings, why counting calories doesn’t work, and his own podcast. With almost 300,000 followers on Facebook, it’s pretty clear people like what Marc has to say and I think you will as well. MARC DAVID, M.A. Marc David, M.A. is the Founder and primary teacher of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. He’s a leading visionary, teacher and consultant in Nutritional Psychology, and the author of the classic, groundbreaking and bestselling books Nourishing Wisdom and The Slow Down Diet. For over 3 decades Marc has been an innovator in eating psychology and nutrition. Marc has an extensive background in clinical nutrition, eating psychology, and coaching modalities. He has a long history in product development and marketing in the food and supplement industries, and has held senior consulting positions at Canyon Ranch Resorts, the Johnson & Johnson Corporation, the Disney Company, and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. He also served on the editorial board of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. Marc’s work has been featured on CNN and NBC, and in publications such as The New York Times, Chicago Times, McCall’s, Glamour, Elle, Yoga Journal, WebMD, and hundreds more. His books have been translated into over 10 languages. Marc has presented at a long list of professional settings, including Harvard University, the Institute for Functional Medicine, and The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine.

This week’s guest is Laura Ligos and she is known as The Sassy Dietitian. She is also a well-known food blogger and Registered Dietitian who focuses on “real food nutrition in a fast food world.” Being a CrossFit athlete means she doesn’t have time to deal with heartburn, allergies, or asthma; which is why it’s a good thing she cured herself of all those ailments using a whole food diet approach. She’s also recently begun working with InsideTracker.com to help provide more people with personalized nutrition recommendations based on biomarkers in their blood. In this tasty episode, we talk about all of these topics and more. She also has an InsideTracker discount code exclusively for listeners of the Food Sommelier Podcast. LAURA LIGOS, MBA, RDN Laura Ligos is the “The Sassy Dietitian”.  She is currently located in Albany, New York and considers herself to be an unconventional Registered Dietitian as she focuses on real food in this fast food world! As an athlete and former sufferer of heart burn, allergies, and asthma, Laura not only preaches a whole food diet approach but she also lives and breathes it daily. She is currently allergy, asthma and heartburn free. Laura enjoys cooking up a storm in her kitchen (or posting about it on instagram/snapchat), lifting weights and helping her athletes hit personal records in her Crossfit gym, climbing the mountains on a good hike and tearing down them in the snow on her snowboard, or relaxing with a good cup of coffee or wine with her family and friends. Laura Ligos holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and a MBA from Dominican University. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE… 1:00 Laura explains the concept of real whole foods “The lovely thing about living in the 21st Century, and that I love, is that I don’t have to go hunt and gather for my food because I think I probably wouldn’t be too good at it.” – Laura Ligos 2:35 The story of how Laura cured several ailments and health issues using a whole food diet approach 7:08 Laura explains what InsideTracker does to help provide personalized nutrition recommendations

Today’s guest is Cindy Silver, a nationally renowned supermarket dietitian. You may recognize Cindy as this is her second time on the show. Our last conversation in Episode 10 was so great I invited Cindy back to go into more detail. This time we’re specifically talking about grocery shopping for, and with, kids. As a mother of two young children myself, this is a topic I can relate to and Cindy’s tips have certainly given me more than a few things to try out. We also talk about her Mediterranean Style Nutritional Skills Boot Camp and her related upcoming e-book so you’ll want to be sure to stay tuned until the end.  “Keeping them involved is the way to get through the store, I think, with smiles on everyone’s faces.” – Cindy CINDY SILVER MS, RDN, LDN Cindy Silver is a registered dietitian and business owner in Winston-Salem, NC. Her services include nutritional counseling, fun group presentations, consulting to nutrition professionals, and grocery store tours. Cindy has worked for more than 18 years in the grocery store venue as a nutrition education leader and resource for consumers. She is excited to present this podcast topic because everyone’s grocery basket is the starting point for delicious nutrition and great health. Please feel free to visit Cindy’s website, MarketBasketNutrition.com for resources, blog posts, an interactive facebook page and free report, 3 Weeknight Menus for Busy Families. Cindy is a repeat guest on The Food Sommelier Podcast and you can also check her out in Episode #10: What’s in your grocery bag. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE…

This week’s guest is no stranger to the exciting world of podcasts. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Paige Smathers, is the host of the Nutrition Matters Podcast and an expert in the area of mindful and intuitive eating. She focuses on creating and fostering a healthy relationship with food and helps both recovering addicts and those suffering from various types of eating disorders. She is also the author of her very own cookbook and a freelance writer for MyFitnessPal. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Paige is a mother to young daughters and is using her education and experience to help them develop a healthy relationship with food that they’ll carry with them well into adulthood.  PAIGE SMATHERS RDN, CD Paige Smathers provides comprehensive, client-centered nutrition therapy aimed at addressing the client as a whole person. She believes food problems do not exist on their own—there’s usually something deeper, buried in a person’s experiences and history where the problems began. She specializes in detecting those subtle, yet monumentally important ways a person’s relationship with food is damaged.  Paige has her clients’ best interest at heart.  Mindful eating and intuitive eating are the focus of her practice because she’s seen how these approaches lead to true and sustainable lifestyle behavior change. Paige has experience in nutrition counseling and education, eating disorder treatment, outpatient nutrition services, corporate wellness, diabetes education, and the acute-care setting.  She specializes in weight management, women’s health, eating disorders, infant/child nutrition, diabetes care (type I, type II and gestational diabetes), and specialized diets (gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, food sensitivities/allergies).  She holds a bachelor’s degree in Dietetics from Brigham Young University and completed her Dietetic Internship at Utah State University. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and a certified dietitian (CD) in the state of Utah. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE…

Amy Myrdal Miller isn’t just a farmer’s daughter. She’s an award-winning dietitian/nutritionist, the founder and president of a consulting company, and has even worked for the CIA. The Culinary Institute of America, that is. She likely knows more about walnuts, pineapples, and beans than 99.9% of the population and, not only does she have a collection of over 300 cookbooks, she is the co-author of The Healthy Heart Cookbook for Dummies. Amy may or may not also be part of a “secret society.” In today’s episode, talk about all of these topics and more.  ABOUT AMY MYRDAL MILLER MS, RDN Amy is an award-winning dietitian/nutritionist, farmer’s daughter, published author, and founder and president of Farmer’s Daughter Consulting. During her 20-year career in nutrition, Amy has worked for Fleishman-Hillard, Dole Food Company, the California Walnut Commission, and most recently The Culinary Institute of America. Her work experiences have helped her hone her skills in public relations, nutrition marketing and communication, and culinary nutrition. From June 2007 to July 2014 Amy worked for The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), a private, not-for-profit culinary college. Her role included planning conferences and leadership retreats for foodservice, culinary, and healthcare audiences; these events focused on nutrition, health, wellness, and sustainability issues.  Prior to joining the CIA, Amy led domestic marketing and health research efforts for the California Walnut Commission, directed nutrition education and nutrition marketing programs for Dole Food Company, conducted cardiovascular health research studies at the Rippe Lifestyle Institute in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, and managed public relations campaigns for various food and agriculture clients at Fleishman-Hillard. Amy has been widely recognized for her nutrition leadership.

Today’s guest is the well-known Registered Dietitian, Melissa Joy Dobbins. She is also known as The Guilt-Free RD and is a mother of two who has managed to find the time to appear in over 200 television interviews and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Shape, and O Magazine, just to name a few. In fact, her list of accomplishments is so impressive she was named Outstanding Dietitian for the entire state of Illinois!  In our chat today Melissa talks about what led to her becoming a dietitian, how she became so involved with the media, her philosophy as a Diabetes Educator, her secret for weight management, and her very own podcast.  ABOUT MELISSA JOY DOBBINS, MS, RDN, CDE Melissa is an award winning, nationally recognized food and nutrition expert, media spokesperson, speaker, blogger and podcaster with more than 20 years’ experience and a proven track record of providing real solutions for real people so they can enjoy their food with health in mind. Melissa’s background includes nearly a decade of clinical nutrition and client counseling as well as corporate wellness, public speaking, academia, and research. She’s a former supermarket dietitian, a certified diabetes educator, and also specializes in weight management, family nutrition, and food safety/technology. A former national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the National Dairy Council, Melissa has been a regular voice in the media for over 15 years. She has conducted hundreds of TV interviews and has been quoted in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Shape, Fitness, and O Magazine. Utilizing her communications expertise, Melissa enjoys coaching other food, nutrition and wellness experts on media, social media and public speaking skills, with an emphasis on creating and delivering meaningful messages that engage and empower audiences. “I saw some really interesting things going on with regards to diets,

Today’s guest is Ashley Koff, the international renowned registered dietitian who has over 40,000 followers on Twitter! And it’s no surprise so many people are hanging onto her every word because her insight into what makes nutrition better for everyone is definitely going to change your perspective on what it means to eat well and live healthy. We all suffer from what Ashley calls “nutrition whiplash”, this back-and-forth between the hottest diets and the newest powerfoods. But how can you find the one diet that’s right for you? And the one that still tastes good? Ashley breaks down the 4 principles of her Better Nutrition Simplified Program and teaches you how to align them with how your body works and digests food. Only by focusing on your lifestyle, your body, and your health goals will you uncover what makes for your better nutrition.  ABOUT ASHLEY KOFF, RDN… Ashley is an internationally-renowned registered dietitian who believes better nutrition is simple, but isn’t typically explained that way. To that end, Koff created a tool-kit: “The Better Nutrition Simplified Program” which offers several tools to make better nutrition, simple and accessible for everyone.The Better Nutrition Simplified program includes easy meal planning tools such as “The Better Nutrition, Simplified Plan”and “Better Nutrition Simplified Pit Stops,” as well as a tool for food and supplemental foods selection “The AKA (Ashley Koff Approved) Personal Shopper.” Koff also offers Better Nutrition Simplified Quick Start video consults and the opportunity to arrange personal consults. Koff shares her message with millions, regularly, as a go-to expert for the country’s leading media outlets. She appears regularly on local and national television including The Dr. Oz Show, Fox DC, The Doctors, The Today Show, Good Morning America,

In this tasty episode, Annette and her sidekick Gail critique the flavor and nutritional content of 4 Lighter Fare options at Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill. Listen here to find out what you should be ordering (or in this case, what to stay away from)! All healthy dining reviews are comprised of 3 segments: 1) restaurant background 2) eating experience and 3) nutrition evaluation.  Today I’m veering off from our regularly scheduled podcast for another Healthy Dining Review! This time, my good friend Gail and I head to Applebee’s to try out their new “Pub Diet” menu with entrees that advertise a low calorie count without sacrificing flavor. Unfortunately, flavor is sacrificed, and so are the health benefits for that matter. Out of the four entrees we try on today’s episode, only 2 will pass my healthy dining review. Each of these dishes were missing the beautiful and brightly colored veggies we all know taste good while being good for us, and I personally missed a healthy portion of whole grains in each of these meals. I judge these plates today based on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and I look at the calorie count, the servings of fruits and veggies, the whole grains, the saturated fats, the sodium, and the added sugar to give you an overall look at what makes (or breaks) each meal. APPLEBEE’S ENTREES REVIEWED IN THE EPISODE ARE: SHRIMP WONTON STIR-FRY: Stir-fry veggies, dumpling sauce, wonton strips, white rice ($12.99) SAVORY CEDAR SALMON: Grilled cedar-seasoned salmon, artichoke spread, steamed potatoes and vegetables ($15.99) HOT SHOT WHISKEY CHICKEN: Whiskey onion & mushroom, peppercorn, rosemary pan gravy, cheddar jalapeno-topped mashed potatoes ($11.99) GRILLED ONION SIRLOIN WITH STOUT GRAVY: House sirloin, grilled onion, roasted tomato, crispy red potatoes,

Never thought you could get a degree in taste tasting or ice cream creation? Think again! I’ve invited Marianne Gillette to talk about how you can develop a career in taste tasting, beer making, even ice cream creation. A career in food science is a lot more in depth than you think, and with positions across industry and agriculture in high demand, you really have your pick when it comes to starting a career. Marianne breaks down the opportunities that are available, which universities offer the best programs, and even the kind of salary you can expect once you graduate. As a fellow sensory scientist, Marianne and I used to work together at McCormick & Co, so I trust her opinion when it comes to developing a career in the food and nutrition sciences. She and I are both aware of the challenges nutritionists and food scientist’s face trying to develop healthy food that still taste great, and I am so excited to have her on the show today so we can share our educational and professional experiences with you!  ABOUT MARIANNE… Marianne Gillette has been an integral part of McCormick’s research team for 37 years, overseeing the technical competencies that contribute to McCormick’s most important product —flavor. These competencies include culinary, sensory, chemistry, food sciences, and creative sciences. In recent years, her team has introduced new methods for sensory and analytical assessment of foods, including measurement of emotion and wellness. Marianne’s team – which consists of chefs, flavorists and sensory experts – is developing new forms of healthy spice and herb extracts, technologies for fresher herbs and spices, and new ingredients to create unique, cost-effective flavors for consumers and companies alike. Marianne’s function is central to the creation and measurement of flavor—from molecule to menu. McCormick’s Technology Innovation Center, where she spent most of her time, determines the molecules that drive flavor – providing critical direction to development of exciting new flavors and products...

One of my favorite quotes is over two thousand years old. Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food”. Food as medicine is more than just eating healthy, it’s about understanding your unique genetic makeup and how your diet influences things like inflammation, weight, and overall health and wellness. My guest today is so passionate about food as medicine that she created an entire program to help foodies like us breakdown our genetic blueprint for nutrition. Amanda Archibald is the owner of Field to Plate, a dietary program that focuses on nutrition and food appreciation to build healthy diets. She understands all the different forces at play that influence diet and health. Culture, genetics, and even your location on this planet will all influence how you manage your weight, your wellness, and your health. On today’s episode, Amanda breaks down her dietary niche and discusses her theories on inflammation and disease that can help you better understand your body and its dietary needs. Also included is a great recipe for a kale salad that will totally blow your mind!  ABOUT AMANDA… Amanda Archibald’s  unique training as an analyst and a nutritionist (RD), combined with her culinary expertise, has enabled her to develop a new lens through which we can understand the food and health conversation. Amanda’s trailblazing work is redefining the food, nutrition and cooking education footprint in ways that are understandable, meaningful and fundamentally achievable for all Americans. Her work in mind-mapping, using visual technology,  is literally changing how we translate the science of nutrition, via the tools of the kitchen, to put health-supportive food on America’s plate. Amanda resides near Boulder, Colorado and is owner of